HANGER, Harold Victor
| Service Number: | 19296 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 February 1916, Enlisted in Sydney with 7th reinforcements, 2 Div Ammo Column |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 7th Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Narellan, New South Wales, Australia , 12 June 1889 |
| Home Town: | Picton, Wollondilly, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Butcher |
| Died: | Pneumonia , Liverpool District Hospital, New South Wales, Australia , 6 December 1969, aged 80 years |
| Cemetery: |
Picton Anglican Cemetery Adjacent to St Mark's Anglican Church |
| Memorials: | Picton and District Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Gunner, 19296, 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column, Enlisted in Sydney with 7th reinforcements, 2 Div Ammo Column | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Gunner, 7th Field Artillery Brigade, Transferred to 7th Brigade Ammunition Column | |
| 11 May 1916: | Embarked Gunner, 19296, 7th Field Artillery Brigade, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney | |
| 11 May 1916: | Involvement Gunner, 19296, 7th Field Artillery Brigade, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: '' | |
| 1 Sep 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Driver, 7th Field Artillery Brigade, Promoted while training in Larkhill Camp, Salisbury Plain, England. | |
| 21 Jan 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Driver, 19296, 1st Australian Corps Headquarters | |
| 11 May 1919: | Embarked AIF WW1, Driver, 19296, 7th Field Artillery Brigade, Embarked in England aboard HMAT Borda for return to Australia. | |
| 12 Aug 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Driver, 19296, 7th Field Artillery Brigade, Discharged in 2nd Military District, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Karan CAMPBELL-DAVIS
Harold Victor HANGER was born on 12th June 1889 in Narellan, New South Wales, the second of ten children born to Eliza Swan (nee LARKIN) and Joseph HANGER.
A single, 26 year old butcher at the time, and having already served 3 years in a Light Horse militia regiment, Harold enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in Sydney on 1st February 1916. Allocated the regimental number 19296, he undertook his recruit training in Sydney assigned as a Gunner with the 7th reinforcements for the 2nd Divisional Ammunition Column. After two months, on 1st April he was taken on strength with the 7th Brigade Ammunition Column, part of the newly raised 7th Field Artillery Brigade (7th FAB), 3rd Division Artillery. On 11th May 1916, Harold embarked with his Unit in Sydney aboard HMAT Argyllshire for active service overseas, arriving in Devonport, England on 10th July.
For the next five months in England, Harold undertook further training as part of the 25th Battery, 7th FAB, at Camp 17, Larkhill, on the Salisbury Plain, and was promoted to the rank of Driver on 1st September. It was also here that, on Saturday 7th October 1916, the 7th FAB had a Gymkhana, to hone their skills and build teamwork, while having some fun and lifting morale. Harold participated in multiple events that day, winning the Driving Competition, which involved skillfully steering a team of six horses pulling an 18-pounder field artillery gun through a fixed obstacle course, in the fastest time. As first prize winner, he was awarded a bronze medallion engraved with his particulars (albeit with his surname misspelt as "HANGAR").
On 29th December 1916, the 7th FAB embarked at Southampton, for the Western Front battlefields of France. They first saw action on 17th January 1917, at Armentieres. During the course of the War, they also took part in the battles of Menin Road, Broodseinde, Passchendaele, Amiens, Morlancourt, Mont St. Quentin, Messines and the Hindenburg Line. Harold was transferred to Australian Corps Headquarters on 21st January 1918, and later taken on strength with 3rd Army Brigade, Australian Field Artillery, on 8th October 1918. Following the end of hostilities, Harold returned to the 7th FAB on 5th January 1919.
On 11th May 1919, Harold embarked in England aboard HMAT Borda for return to Australia, arriving in Sydney on 28th June 1919. He was subsequently discharged in the 2nd Military District, Sydney, on 12th August 1919, due to the termination of his period of enlistment. For his service, he was later awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
On 12th October 1921, Harold married Lila Marie GROVES at Hill End, New South Wales. They went on to have six children, and ran a dairy farm at their property "Inverary", at Razorback, near Picton, New South Wales. Harold was very active in his local community, with involvement in the Picton sub-branch of the Returned Sailors' and Soldiers' Imperial League, Masonic Lodge and District Show Society.
Harold died of pneumonia in Liverpool District Hospital on 6th December 1969, aged 80. He'd been there for three weeks, following admission after being seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident, when a car driven by his son Jack collided with a tractor on the Hume Highway, North of Picton. He was buried in the Picton Anglican Cemetery, following a well attended funeral service at St Mark's Church of England, Picton.
Compiled by Karan CAMPBELL-DAVIS from historical records kept by the National Archives of Australia (service dossier), Australian War Memorial (7th FAB War Diaries), and "The family tree of Henry and Mary Hanger - Pioneering in Australia" (compiled by Trissia and Bill Waddingham, on behalf of Gail Hanger).
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